Safety guard for a cloth cutting machine

ABSTRACT

A novel safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type. When in the closed position, the safety guard includes a fixed section that protects a portion of the blade&#39;&#39;s exposed periphery and a movable primary section that substantially protects the rest of the blade&#39;&#39;s exposed periphery. A trigger mechanism is fixed adjacent the machine&#39;&#39;handle, the trigger permitting an operator to move the primary section between closed and open positions as he grips the handle when using the cloth cutting machine. An adjustment is provided with the trigger mechanism to regulate the mouth opening of the primary section in relation to the height of the cloth stack to be cut. The trigger mechanism is spring loaded so that the primary section is continuously biased toward the closed position, thereby causing an operator to be consciously aware of opening the safety guard when readying the machine for cutting and causing the primary section to close automatically if the trigger is released. The movable primary section of the safety guard defines a notch which, when the primary section is in the closed position, allows a blade sharpener device to engage the circular blade&#39;&#39;s periphery for sharpening the blade. An axuiliary section of the safety guard is fixed to the sharpener device, that auxiliary section overlying the notch in the primary section when the sharpener device is retracted and when the primary section is closed. The circular blade can be ground only when its periphery is completely protected because the notch is the primary section only registers with the sharpener device when that primary section is closed. The entire safety guard is structured so that same can be removed from the cloth cutting machine as a single unit simply by unscrewing one thumb screw. This allows simple and easy change of the circular cutting blade when required.

United States Patent 91' Peter 451 May 28, 1974 l l SAFETY GUARD FOR A CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: The Wolf Machine Company,

Cincinnati, Ohio [22] Filed: Sept. 20, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 291,361

Joseph E. Peter, Cincinnati, Ohio [52] US. Cl 30/273, 30/276, 30/391, 83/478, 83/546 [51] Int. Cl B26b 25/00, 1326b 29/00 [58] Field of Search 83/478, 544, 546; 30/390, 30/391, 273, 276

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,738,896 12/1929 Hansen 30/391 Primary Examiner-Donald R. Schran Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wood, Herron & Evans [57] ABSTRACT A novel safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type. When in the closed position, the safety guard includes a fixed section that protects a portion of the blades exposed periphery and a movable primary section that substantially protects the rest of the bladcs exposed periphery. A trigger mechanism is fixed adjacent the machinehandle, the trigger permitting an operator to move the primary section between closed and open positions as he grips the handle when using the cloth cutting machine. An adjustment is provided with the trigger mechanism to regulate the mouth opening of the primary section in relation to the height of the cloth stack to be cut. The trigger mechanism is spring loaded so that the primary section is continuously biased toward the closed position, thereby causing an operator to be consciously aware of opening the safety guard when readying the machine for cutting and causing the primary section to close automatically if the trigger is released.

The movable primary section of the safety guard defines a notch which, when the primary section is in the closed position, allows a blade sharpener device to engage the circular blades periphery for sharpening the blade. An axuiliary section of the safety guard is fixed to the sharpener device, that auxiliary section overlying the notch in the primary section when the sharpener device is retracted and when the primary section is closed. The circular blade can be ground only when its periphery is completely protected because the notch is the primary section only registers with the sharpener device when that primary section is closed.

The entire safety guard is structured so that same can be removed from the cloth cutting machine as a single unit simply by unscrewing one thumb screw. This allows simple and easy change of the circular cutting blade when required.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEB-m 2a sen SHEUKUFZ SAFETY GUARD FOR A CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE This invention relates to cloth cutting machines. More particularly, this invention relates to a safety guard for a particular type of cloth cutting machine.

One basic type of cloth cutting machine is that which makes use of a circular blade which rotates at high speeds, the circular blade being oriented in a vertical plane. The circular blade is driven by a motor fixed to the machine. The blade and motor are carried on a standard, the standard including a relatively flat base adapted (such as by needle rollers or the like) to roll over a cloth cutting table. Suitable handles are provided on a machine for gripping by an operator, these handles allowing manual guidance of the cloth cutting machine as it is pushed along the cloth cutting table.

In use, this known type of vertically oriented, circular blade cloth cutting machine is adapted to cut all types of fabrics. Generally speaking, the fabric is laid up or piled into a stack of multiple layers. Such a stack of cloth may be, e.g., 3 to 5 inches in thickness. A pattern outline is traced on the top fabric lay, that outline being, e.g., of a raincoat panel or a suit coat panel or a pants leg panel or the like. The cloth stack, i.e., the multiple fabric layers, is then cut by means of the cloth cutting machine, the vertically oriented circular blade being guided along the pattern defined on the top fabric layer as the machine is manually pushed through the cloth stack.

Such a vertically oriented, circular blade cloth cutting machine is usually provided with a sharpener device adapted to reciprocate into and out of sharpening engagement with the blades periphery. Such a sharpener device allows sharpening of the blade when desired by the operator by moving the device into contact with the blades cutting edge while the blade is rotating. When the machine is being used by the operator to cut cloth, the sharpener device is retracted out of engagement with the blades cutting edge.

While such cloth cutting machines are quite efficient in cutting stacks, i.e., multiple layers, of cloth into garment pieces, it will be understood that the circular blades periphery must be exposed to the fabric layers to accomplish such a cutting function. The periphery of such a circular blade must be quite sharp indeed, and the blade is rotated at a relatively high rpm, in order to perform efficiently the cutting function. When the machines circular blade is viewed from the side, as in viewing a clocks face, it is known to the prior art to provide the rear segment of the blade (the segment from about the 12 oclock position through the 3 o'- clock position to the 6 oclock position) with a safety guard so as to prevent contact of an operators hands with the blade. This guard is usually integrated with the machines standard. This leaves the front segment of the blade exposed without a safety guard, i.e., the segment from about the 6 o'clock position through the 9 oclock position to the 12 o'clock position is always exposed. When the machines circular blade is viewed as a clock face, and when the guarded rear and upguarded front segments are as described, it will be understood the machine would traverse a path from right to left in cutting a cloth stack; this same spatial relationship or viewpoint holds true below when describing the safety guard of this invention.

It is, of course, the front segment of the circular blade that is presented into cutting contact with the cloth stack as the machine is manually pushed through the stack. The large, exposed front segment of the circular blade, it will be readily understood, may well provide potential safety hazards to the operator of the machine especially when the machine is disengaged from a cutting attitude with the cloth stack. That is, a cloth cutting machine of the circular blade type presently known to the art may well provide potential safety hazards to the operator, and especially to a new or unskilled operator, since a relatively large segment of the blades periphery is exposed at all times. This because a large frontal segment of the blades periphery is exposed not only during cutting of the cloth, but also during sharpening of the blade as well as when the machine is not in cutting use. Such potential safety hazards are present, of course, even when the machine is being used by the most skilled operator with a great deal of care in the correct operational manner.

A typical example of such a potential safety hazard that may arise occurs when the machine's operator must reassemble the stack of cloth which he is cutting. Such might be required because of ripples induced into the stack from the cutting operation, or because of a sharp corner cut that is required, or otherwise. To overcome the problem, the operator may withdraw the cloth cutting machine from engagement with the cloth stack and may push it off to the side on the cutting table. The operator, as is often the case, may choose not to turn off the machine after it has been withdrawn from the cloth stack (by not turning off the machine a couple of seconds warm-up time is saved when use of the machine is required again) while he corrects the flaws in or rearranges the cloth stack. After the stack has been smoothed or rearranged, the operator may well absentmindedly reach back for the machines handle. Since the machine rolls on needle rollers, the machine may have oriented itself to a different position during the time it was unattended, thereby presenting the rapidly turning and quite sharp circular saw blade to the operators hands instead of the handle. This for the reason, of course, that the machines handle was no longer in the position where the operator believed it to be. Thus, if the operator does not look where he is putting his hand when reaching for the machines handle, quite obviously his hand may be severely cut if it contacts the machines circular blade.

Therefore, it has been one objective of this invention to provide a safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, that safety guard being adapted to move between-a closed position where the blade is substantially fully enclosed and a retracted position where cutting of a cloth stack can be accomplished.

It has been a further objective of this invention to provide a safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, that safety guard requiring manual activation by an operator before the machine can be used and being failsafe in structure so that same will always be closed except when the machine is engaged with a cloth stack.

It has been still a further objective of this invention to provide a safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, that safety guard being adapted to protect substantially the entire periphery of the circular blade when the guard is closed, as well as allowing a blade sharpener device to sharpen the blade when desired by an operator.

' It has been another objective of this invention to provide a safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, that safety guard allowing a sharpener device to sharpen the blade only when the safety guard is closed, i.e., which prevents sharpening of the blade when the safety guard is partially or fully open.

It has been still another objective of this invention to provide a safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, that safety guard being easily removable as a unit from the machines other structure so as to permit simple replacement of the circular blade.

In accomplishing the objectives of this invention there is provided a novel safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type. When in the closed position, the safety guard includes a fixed section that protects a portion of the bladess exposed periphery and a movable primary section that substantially protects the rest of the blades exposed periphery. A trigger mechanism is fixed adjacent the machines handle, the trigger mechanism permitting an operator to move the primary section between closed and open positions as he grips the handle when using the cloth cutting machine. An adjustment is provided with the trigger mechanism to regulate the mouth opening of the primary section in relation to the height of the cloth stack to be cut. The trigger mechanism is spring loaded so that the primary section is continuously biased toward the closed position, thereby causing an operator to be consciously aware of opening the safety guard when readying the machine for cutting and causing the primary section to close automatically if the trigger is released.

The movable primary section of the safety guard defines a notch which, when the primary section is in the closed position, allows a blade sharpener device to engage the circular blades periphery for sharpening the blade. An auxiliary section of the safety guard is fixed to the sharpener device, that auxiliary section overlying the notch in the primary section when the sharpener device is retracted and when the primary section is closed. The circular blade can be ground only when its periphery is completely protected because the notch in the primary section only registers with the sharpener device when that primary section is closed.

The entire safety guard is structured so that same can be removed from the cloth cutting machine as a single unit simply by unscrewing one thumb screw. This allows simple and easy change of the circular cutting blade when required.

Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective exploded view illustrating the structural components of the safety guard for acloth cutting machine of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the safety guard in the fully closed position, the sharpener device being retracted;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the safety guard in the fully opened or cloth cutting position, the sharpener device being retracted; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrating the safety guard in the fully closed position with the sharpener device engaged in sharpening contact on the saw blades circular periphery.

GENERAL STRUCTURE OF A VERTICALLY ORIENTED CIRCULAR BLADE CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE A cloth cutting machine 10 of the vertically oriented, circular blade 11 type is particularly illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in that Figure, the cloth cutting machine 10 includes a base 12 having tapered or canted side edges 13, those side edges (particularly at the nose portion 14) allowing the base to easily slide under a cloth stack 15 of multiple fabric layers 16 for cutting purposes, see FIGS. 2-4. The base 12 carries a plurality of needle rollers 17 that allows the machine 10 to roll easily over the surface of a cutting table 18 on which the cloth stack 15 is located.

The cloth cutting machine 10 as noted, includes the circular saw blade 11 that is oriented in a vertical plane, that plane more or less bisecting the nose portion 14 of the base 12. The circular blade 11 is supported on a standard 19 that is cast integral with the base 12. The blade 11 is-rotatably fixed to the standard such thatit is partially enclosed at a bottom segment 20 by being received in the bases groove 21.

The standard 19 mounts a primary handle 22 that extends rearwardly of the base 12 in a substantially horizontal direction. A motor drive mechanism 23 is mounted to the top of the standard 19 and .is interconnected by a drive gear train (not shown) with the circular blade 11, that mechanism 23 providing motive means by which the circular blade 11 is rotated at relatively highrpms for cutting the cloth fabric. A secondary handle 24 is mounted at the forehead of the motor drive means 23, thereby providing a handle 22, 24 for each of an operators hands so that the circular blade 11 can be adequately guided along a pattern (not shown) drawn on the top fabric layer 16a of the cloth stack 15. That is, the handles 22, 24 provide means for an operator to grip, and to orient as desired, the machine 10 when cutting a cloth stack-15.

In use, the cloth cutting machine 10 is gripped by handle 22 with one hand, and by handle 24 with the other hand, by an operator while the blade 11 is rotating rapidly as driven by motor drive means 23. The operator then guides the cloth cutting machine 10 about the pattern (not shown) on the top fabric layer 16a of the cloth stack 15 while rolling the machine (on rollers 17) across cutting table 18. As viewed in FIG. 3, the machine 10 will traverse a travel path 25 to engage and cut the cloth stack 15.

A sharpener device 26, which includes circular sharpening stones 27 facing one another in mirror relation so as to define a groove 28 therebetween, is fixed in pivotal relation about axis 29 to the machines standard 19. The sharpener device 26 is mounted so that the groove 28 is in'the same vertical plane as blade 11. The sharpener device 26'is continually biased toward its home or nonsharpening position (shown in FIG. 1) by spring means, not shown. In use, and while the circular blade 11 is rotating, an operator depresses the sharpener device 24 by pushing downward on thumb stud 30, thereby pivoting the device about axis 29 so as to locate the blades peripheral edge 31 in grinding contact with the sharpening stones 27 within groove 28. This, of course, sharpens the blades peripheral edge 31; the sharpening position of the sharpener device 26 is shown in FIG. 4. After sufficient sharpening time has elasped, the sharpener device 26 is simply allowed to return to home position by releasing the thumb stud 30. Of course, the machine is preferably disengaged from cutting contact with the cloth stack while the blade 11 is being sharpened.

As viewed from a side elevational view in the Figures, the circular blade 11 may be thought of as a face of a clock. In this regard, it is to be noted that the motor drive means 23 is fixed to the standard 19, and extends radially upward therefrom, at about the 1 oclock position. Also, the main handle 22 extends rearwardly of the circular blade 11 in a substantially horizontal attitude from about the 1 oclock position. Further, the sharpening stones 27 are pivotally fixed to the standard 19 in a manner that allows same to pivot into and out of contact with the circular blade 11 at about the 10:30 o'clock position.

Safety Guard Structure The various structural elements'ofthe safety guard 32 of this invention are illustrated in perspective and exploded view in FIG. 1. The assembled safety guard 32 of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, those three Figures illustrating three different operational attitudes of the guard components as will be explained in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the safety guard 32 of this invention includes a fixed section 33 adapted to cooperate with the machines standard 19. The fixed section 33 includes a foot 34 adapted to be received in a close tolerance fit within well 34a defined in the machines base; the foot 34 is located within the well 34a by a locator pin 34b fixed to the base that cooperates with a hole 340 defined in the foot. The fixed section 33 is also adapted to be bolted by a thumb screw 35 or the like to standard 19 in threaded hole 36. The fixed section 33 totally encloses the rear segment of the circular blade 11 when in mounted relation with the standard 19 so that an operators hand cannot engage the rear segment of the blade (as measured clockwise from about the 12 o'clock position through the 3 oclock position to the 6 oclock position). Although not shown in detail it will be understood that the machines standard 19 may be similar in configuration on the other side of the circular blade 11 to the fixed section 33 on that side of the circular blade visible in the Figures.

All structural parts, except an auxiliary section 37, of the safety guard 32 are mounted to the fixed section 33. Since the fixed section 33 is retained in operational re lation with the machine 10 simply by means of fastening means characterized by foot 34 being seated in the machine base's well 34a, and by means of fastening means characterized by thumb screw 35 threaded into the machine standard 5 tapped hole 36, it will be apparent that the safety guard 32 can be easily and simply removed from operational relation with the machine to permit changing of the circular blade 11 when desired by an operator. This for the reason that, by removing the fixed section 32 from mounted relation with the machine's standard 19, such allows the blade 11 to be pulled off its drive shaft, not shown, since substantially the entire peripheral edge of the blade will be exposed by removing the guard 32.

The safety guard 32 also includes a movable primary section 38 mounted for pivotal movement to the fixed section 33 the fixed seetions hole 40'being aligned with the primary sections hole 39 when the two sections are assembled. The pivot point 42 of the two sections 31, 32 is substantially the same as the blades rotational axis 43. The primary section 38 presents an outer periphery 41 of a length such that, when same cooperates with the fixed section 33, and when same is closed, substantially the entire peripheral edge 31 of the circular blade 11 is protected against inadvertent contact by an operator see FIG. 2. That is, the front segment of the circular blade 11 (the segment from about the 6 oclock position through the 9 oclock position to the 12 oclock position) is protected by the primary section 38 while the rear segment (from about the 12 oclock position through the 3 oclock position to the 6 oclock position) is protected by the fixed section 33; in the machine 10 embodiment shown, the blade 11' is received to a limited extent in the base s groove 21 and, thus, the base 12 actually covers the bottom segment of the blades peripheral edge 31 from about the 5 oclock to the 7 oclock position.

The primary section 38 protects the front segment of the blades peripheral edge 31 by means of a lip 44 fixed to main plate 45, see FIG. 1. That is, the movable primary section 38 does not totally enclose the blades peripheral edge 31, but provides an overlapping flange or lip 44 of sufficient width so that contact of an operators hand in an accidental manner with that'front segment of the blade 11 is substantially impossible. The lip 44 only extends from the leading end 47 of notch 46 to pointer 48, Le, only is provided for arcuate segment 50 of the section 38. The notch 46 is cutout of the periphery of the primary section 38, the function of this notch being explained in detail below. That arcuate segment 49 of the primary section 38 which extends from the trailing end 52 of notch to trailing edge 53 of the main plate 45 does not have a lip or flange similar to lip 44. This for the reason that segment 49 of the main plate 45 retracts clockwise over fixed section 33 when being opened, and the presence of a lip would hinder such retracting movement because it would tend to engage the standard 19.

As mentioned, the primary section 38 is provided with pointer 48 at its lower end adjacent leading edge 54 of the section 38. The tip 55 of the pointer 48 is in the same vertical plane as the circular blade 11 itself. Thus, when the machine 10 is being used by an operator, the pointer 48 can be made use of to follow the pattern line drawn on the top fabric layer 16a of the cloth stack 15 being cut.

The trailing edge 53 of the primary section 38 mounts a stop arm 56 adapted to function as an overrun stop as explained in detail below.

A trigger mechanism 58 is provided to move the primary section 38 of the safety guard 31 between a closed position where no fabric cutting is possible (see FIG. 2) and an open position where a cloth stack 15 may be cut (see FIG. 3). The trigger mechanism includes trigger 62 which is pivotally connected to the fixed section 38 (at hole 63) by pin 64. The trigger mechanism 58 also includes a motion link 59 pivotally mounted at end 60 to the primary section 38, and pivotally mounted at the other end 61 to the trigger 62. Note that the trigger 62 is pivoted to the fixed section 33 closely adjacent the machines handle 22, thereby allowing an operators hand to easily operate the trigger with the index finger while grasping the handle.

The motion link 59, as is particularly illustrated in FIG. 2, at its end 60 is connected to the primary section 38 in the 9-12 oclock quadrant when the safety guard 32 is closed, i.e., the connection point 65 of the motion link 59 with the primary section 38 is above the pivot point 42 of the primary section 38 and fixed section 33. Further, the pivot point 66 connection of end 61 ofmotion link 59 is located on the trigger 62 below the triggers pivot connection point 64 to the fixed section 38, and such that the axis 67 of the motion link is always on the same side of the guards pivot point 42 at the trigger, i.e., such that the motion links axis 67 never crosses the pivot point 42.

A mouth opening M adjustment in the form of a set screw 74 is interconnected with the trigger 62. The set screw 74 has an abutment end 75 adapted to contact the underside of the handle 22, and is received in slip fit relation with shoulders 76 integral with the trigger 62. Collar 77 is in threaded engagement with the set screw 74, and is rotatable relative to the shoulders 76 by hand. Rotation of collar 77 moves the set screws abutment end 75 toward or away from the trigger 62 depending on the direction of rotation. By adjusting the set screw 74, it will be understood thatmouth opening M of the primary section 38 can be varied as desired. Hence, for a one-inch cloth stack to be cut'it is possible to set the mouth opening M a little greater than 1 inch, and for a 3-inch cloth stack 15 it is possible to set the mouth opening M a little greater than 3 inches, thereby providing adjustment means associated with the trigger 62 that allows the primary sections pointer 48 to be raised only a predetermined height off the machine's base 12. This, of course, allows the mouth opening M of the safety guard 32 to be adjusted relative to the cloth stack 15 to be cut.

The trigger mechanism 58 also includes spring 69 which is fixed at one end 70 to ear 71 (mounted on the trigger 62 at pivot point 66) and at the other end 72 to the fixed section 33 in hole 73. The spring 69 is a tension spring. and continually urges the trigger 62 clockwise as illustrated in the FIGS. 2-4. This clockwise urging of the trigger 62 is translated into counterclockwise urging of the primary section 38 (through the motion link 59), thereby continuously biasing the primary section toward the closed position (shown in FIG. 2) at which the front segment of the circular blade 11 is protected.

In use, and when it is desired to open the primary section 38 so as to define the mouth M which will make the circular blade 11 accessible to the cloth stack 15, the trigger 62 is pulled upwardly adjacent the handle 22 by the operator, compare FIGS. 2 and 3. The width of mouth M, Le, the opening defined by the retraction of the primary section 38, is limited by the setting on set screw 74. Because the trigger 62 is substantially aligned with the handle 22 and closely adjacent thereto, the index finger on that hand which the operator uses to guide the machine by means of grasping handle 22 may be used to pull the trigger up close to the handle as shown in FIG. 3. By drawing the trigger 62 up close to the handle 22, and because motion link 59 is connected with the primary section 38, such counterclockwise motion of the trigger induces clockwise motion of the primary section so as to partially open the safety guard 32 and make that forward segment of the blades peripheral edge 31 adjacent the machines base 12 acces commenced (as shown in FIG. 3), the trigger 62 may be released as the primary section 38 will be retained in the open mouth M attitude because of upturned pointer 48 riding on the top layer 16a of the cloth stack. It is, however, more desirable for the operator to retain a grip on the trigger 62 while cutting because when pointer 48 rides on the cloth stack 15 it tends to push the upper fabric layers in front of it; this tends to form ripples in the upper layers and, therewith, provide an inaccurate cutting of lower fabric layers.

When cutting of the cloth stack 15 is finished, the operator simply releases the trigger 62. The primary sec tion 38 then returns from open position (FIG. 3) to closed position (FIG. 2) because of the spring 69 loading of the trigger mechanism 58. Even if the spring 69 is broken or otherwise useless, the primary section 38 will still return to the closed position because it is weightedsuchas to cause it to move counterclockwise from the open position due to gravity.

Further in use, the stop arm 56 on the primary section 38 prevents that section from retracting or' rotating too far counterclockwise. That is, it may be possible under certain structural conditions, and particularly in case the set screw 74 is totally disengaged from operative combination with the trigger 62, for the trigger mechanism 58 to retract the primary section 38 counterclockwise to an attitude that would either overstress the tension spring 69 or cause the section 38 to go over center. In either situation, the primary section 38 may then not return automatically to the closed position once the trigger 62 is released. The top arm 56 on the primary section 38 prevents either occurrence from happening because it is adapted to contact the upper edge 84 of the motion link 59 before the tension spring 69 becomes overstressed and before the primary section passes to that over center position. As mentioned, and even if the tension spring 69 is broken or not otherwise present on the safety guard of this invention, the primary section 38 is weighted such that it will fall into the closed position from a fully open position (not shown) where the stop arm 56 abuts the motion link 59 once the trigger 62 is released.

Thus, the primary section38 is failsafe, i.e., the safety guard 32 of this invention is failsafe, because the guard is normally spring loaded closed by tension spring 69 cooperating with trigger 62 and motion link 59. However, even if the spring 69 becomes inoperative or is no longer present, the weight and configuration of the primary section 38 is designed such that the primary section will always fall into the closed position when the trigger 62 is released. This for the reason that the primary section-38 can never be retracted counterclockwise to, a point beyond that attitude where stop arm 56 contacts the top edge 84 of motion link 59, and even in this most retracted counterclockwise attitude the weight of the primary section is such that same falls back into the closed position due to gravity when the trigger is released.

As noted previously, the primary section 38 is provided with a notch 46 in its outer periphery. This notch 46, when the primary section 38 is in the closed position shown in FIG. 2, exposes a segment 8601' the circular blades peripheral edge 31 to the sharpening stones 27 f the sharpener device 26. That is, when the primary section 38 is closed the sharpener device 26 is adapted to pivot about pin 29 into sharpening contact with the circular blades periphery, compare FIGS. 2 and 4. Of course, the circular blade 11 is rotating when such sharpening contact is made. Note that because of lip 44 it is not possible to pivot the sharpener device 26 into sharpening contact with the blade 11 when the primary section 38 is retracted or opened because notch 46 will have been moved out of registry with the pivot path of the sharpening stones 27.

Further, the fixed section 33 is configured so that when the primary section 38 is retracted the notch 46 will overlie general area 80 on the fixed section 33 so that the blade 11 is not exposed through the notch.

The auxiliary section 37 of the safety guard 32 is fixed to the sharpener device 26, the auxiliary section being in the nature of a heel 81 fixed to the mounting structure 78 for the stones 27 by screws 79. The heel 81 of the auxiliary section 37, when the sharpener device 26 is retracted out of a sharpening attitude with the blade 11, is adapted to overlie or cover the notch 46 cut in the primary section 38 see FIG. 2. This covering of the notch 46 by the auxiliary section 37, of course, closes the peripheral edge 31 of the circular blade 11 to accidental contact even though the notch formed in the primary section 38 might allow such contact if it were not for the auxiliary section.

As noted, the auxiliary section 37 overlies, i.e., is located outside of, the primary section 38. The auxiliary section 37 is sized to overlap the notchs periphery when the safety guard 32 is closed as shown in FIG. 2. As with the primary section 38, the auxiliary section 37 does not totally enclose the circular blade 11; it simply protects against inadvertent accidental finger contact therewith since the heel portion 81 is planar and does not include a lip or flange. It would, ofcourse, be possible to fix another auxiliary section on the other side of the sharpener device 26 if such should prove desirable, so as to more or less enclose the notch 46 defined in the primary section 38.

The auxiliary section 37, because it is fixed to the sharpener device 26, is moved relative to the primary section 38 when the sharpening stones 27 are moved into sharpening engagement with the outer peripheral edge 31 of the circular blade 11, compare FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. That is, because the auxiliary section 37 is fixed to the sharpener device 26, and because the auxiliary section overlies the primary section 38, the auxiliary section moves from that attitude shown in FIG. 2 to that attitude shown in FIG. 4 when the sharpening stones 27 are pivoted into sharpening contact with the circular blade 11 by an operator.

The auxiliary section 37/primary section 38 structure of the safety guard 32 allows the circular blade 11 to be ground, i.e., to be sharpened, only when the blade is completely enclosed by the safety guard. That is, sharpening of the circular blade 11 can. only occur when the primary section 38 is in'the closed position shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the safety guard 32 must be fully closed (where the notch 46 in the primary section 38 is closed by the auxiliary section 37) before grinding of the blade 11 can occur through use of the sharpening stones 27. It is not possible to sharpen the circular blade 11, when the primary section 38 is open or retracted because when the primary section is in that attitude the notch 46 is not in registry with the sharpener device 26. Thus, the operator is forced to see that the primary section 38 is closed before sharpening the circular blade.

Having described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention, what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A modular safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, said machine including a base and a standard fixed to said base, said standard having said blade mounted thereon in a vertical plane, said safety guard comprising a fixed section removably mounted to the standard of said machine, said fixed section protecting the rear segment of said circular blade's periphery,

a primary section movably connected to said fixed section, said primary section being retractable relative to said fixed section from a closed position where one end of said primary section rests on said standard to protect a front segment of the blades periphery to an open position where that one end of said primary section is upraised off said standard to allow a cloth stack to be cut by said machine,

a trigger pivotally connected to said fixed section adjacent the machines handle,

a motion link interconnection between said primary section and said trigger, use of said trigger by an operator causing said primary section to move into the open position from the closed position, and

fastening means adapted to mount said fixed section to said machine, said fastening means being easily operable to allow removal of said fixed section from operative engagement with said machine, removal of-said fixed section from said machine effecting removal of the entire safety guard to allow easy changing of said circular blade.

2. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 1 including spring means fixed to said guard and adapted to continuously bias said primary section toward the closed position.

3. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening means includes structure for mounting said guard to said machines base and standard, said structure including a foot fixed to said fixed section and adapted to seat in a well defined in said base, said structure also including a fastening device adapted to hold said fixed section to said standard, said guard being removable from said machine by simply releasing said fastening device and lifting said foot out of said well.

4. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, said machine including a blade sharpener device fixed to said machine that is adapted to move into and out of sharpening contact with the periphery of said circular blade, said safety guard comprising a primary section movably connected to said machine, said guard section being retractable from a closed position that substantially protects a front segment of the blades periphery to an open position that allows a cloth stack to be cut by said machine, and

structure including a notch in said primary section that allows said sharpener device to engage the circular blades periphery at a fixed location relative to that periphery only when said primary section is in the closed position, said notch being misaligned from said sharpener device so that said sharpener device can not engage the circular blades periphery for sharpening when said primary section is in an open position.

5. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 4 including an auxiliary section fixed to said sharpener device,

said auxiliary section being sized to overlievsaid notch when said sharpener device is moved out of l2 sharpening contact with said blade and when said primary section isin the closed position.

6. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 4 including said primary section is open. 

1. A modular safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, said machine including a base and a standard fixed to said base, said standard having said blade mounted thereon in a vertical plane, said safety guard comprising a fixed section removably mounted to the standard of said machine, said fixed section protecting the rear segment of said circular blade''s periphery, a primary section movably connected to said fixed section, said primary section being retractable relative to said fixed section from a closed position where one end of said primary section rests on said standard to protect a front segment of the blade''s periphery to an open position where that one end of said primary section is upraised off said standard to allow a cloth stack to be cut by said machine, a trigger pivotally connected to said fixed section adjacent the machine''s handle, a motion link interconnection between said primary section and said trigger, use of said trigger by an operator causing said primary section to move into the open position from the closed position, and fastening means adapted to mount said fixed section to said machine, said fastening means being easily operable to allow removal of said fixed section from operative engagement with said machine, removal of said fixed section from said machine effecting removal of the entire safety guard to allow easy changing of said circular blade.
 2. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 1 including spring means fixed to said guard and adapted to continuously bias said primary section toward the closed position.
 3. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening means includes structure for mounting said guard to said machine''s base and standard, said structure including a foot fixed to said fixed section and adapted to seat in a well defined in said base, said structure also including a fastening device adapted to hold said fixed section to said standard, said guard being removable from said machine by simply releasing said fastening device and lifting said foot out of said well.
 4. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine of the vertically oriented, circular blade type, said machine including a blade sharpener device fixed to said machine that is adapted to move into and out of sharpening contact with the periphery of said circular blade, said safety guard comprising a primary section movably connected to said machine, said guard section being retractable from a closed position that substantially protects a front segment of the blade''s periphery to an open position that allows a cloth stack to be cut by said machine, and structure including a notch in said primary section that allows said sharpener device to engage the circular blade''s periphery at a fixed location relative to that periphery only when said primary section is in the closed position, said notch being misaligned from said sharpener device so that said sharpener device can not engage the circular blade''s periphery for sharpening when said primary section is in an open position.
 5. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 4 including an auxiliary section fixed to said sharpener device, said auxiliary section being sized to overlie said notch when said sharpener device is moved out of sharpening contact with said blade and when said primary section is in the closed position.
 6. A safety guard for a cloth cutting machine as set forth in claim 4 including a fixed section mounted to said machine, said fixed section protecting a rear segment of said circular blade''s exposed periphery, said fixed section being configured such that said notch overlies said fixed section when said primary section is open, thereby not exposing said blade through said notch when said primary section is open. 